Sunday, February 28, 2010

1) Trying to talk your way out of a problem you behaved your way into.

2) Believing that your situation will get better, but refusing to make changes.

3) Blaming others for your failures and shortcomings.

4) Neglecting the important priorities (God, family, personal health), while chasing after trivia.

5) Thinking you won't get caught when you do something wrong.

6) Lying to "make things better". (You can cover up a skunk, but it still smells!)

7) Hoping money will buy happiness.

8) Procrastination (Putting off the important matters because of the "urgent".)

9) Trying to please everybody.

10) Self-centeredness (The world doesn't revolve around you.)

11) Thinking another person will make you happy.

12) Expecting your children to follow your orders rather than your example.

13) Falling into a pattern of complaint, criticism and negativity. (Gratitude is an important aspect of mental and spiritual health.)

14) Thinking you can fix a problem by yelling.

15) Thinking a big problem will go away by ignoring it.

16) Rationalizing bad behavior with, "That's just the way I am."

17) Suspecting that the whole world is against you. (People are not as opposed to you as you think. The fact is, hardly anybody is thinking about you at all! They're too busy thinking about themselves!)

18) Refusing to settle for less than perfection. (As a human being, you will wind up with less than perfection whether you "settle" for it or not.)

19) Carrying a grudge and expecting that it won’t hurt you.

20) Depending on others to clean up your messes.

21) Believing you can get something for nothing (or a lot for a little.)

22) Failing to consider the "price tag" of your decisions.

23) Being rude to others and expecting kindness in return.

24) Squandering money you don’t have to buy things you don’t need.

The best definition of insanity I ever heard is: "Doing the same things the same way and expecting different results."

Saturday, February 27, 2010

10,000 cross country skiers have converged on our little village to ski the great American Birkebeiner. The Birkie is a 51 km (32 mi) race from Cable to Hayward, ending on our snow covered main street.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

"In ministry, charismatic leaders are often the church planters who dream of reaching a city for Christ and building a great church. But charismatic leaders also include the more mature pastors who dare a church in decline to dream again, recover its past glory, and build beyond its heritage."- The Good Book on Leadership

Last spring, I found myself having one of those difficult days. Many issues clamored for my attention, my schedule was packed full of appointments, and my energy level was low. The needs around me seemed overwhelming, the phone rang off the hook, at least a half dozen people were upset with me about something, and I had a headache.

Realizing that I had not yet had my quiet time with God, I decided to escape from the office for a little while and find a place for solitude. A long time ago, I learned that if my soul is not anchored, I’m not much good for anybody.

I drove to a beautiful lake, and spent some time centering my mind on my Creator. It seemed as if my Heavenly Father was speaking his love, strength and peace to my troubled heart.

I opened my Bible and found this wonderful verse, “My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:15.)

It was a joy to have our District Superintendent Dan Bickel with us in Hayward this past weekend. Dan gave an inspiring sermon which challenged and encouraged us all.

Not only is Pastor Dan an excellent speaker and leader, but he is also a top notch pirate! Here is Pirate Dan chumming around with First Mate Scurvy Luke. Shiver me timbers!

Seriously, Pastor Dan recently shared a great ministry website with me: Kairos Journal. The purpose of this timely resource is to " embolden, educate, equip, and support pastors and church leaders as they strive to transform the moral conscience of the culture and restore the prophetic voice of the Church. "

We live in an extremely consumer-driven culture that tells us that the customer is number one. The customer is always right. I can have it my way. I deserve the best. This consumerism has crept into the church and turned church members into customers. The church exists to serve me and my family.

Mosley goes on to address the following questions:1) How did we get here?2) How do you and I turn things around?

Michael and Jeanette Tristani are moving back to Miami, after giving rural Hazelton, North Dakota a whirl.

During their four exile to Siberia, they never did figure out how to fit in.

It's been quite an experience, 50-50 at best," Tristani said. "It hasn't been easy. No one really wants new people here."

Not everybody can hack it in a smalll town. It takes a good dose of time, patience and adaptability.

It was about four years after moving to Hayward from southern California before I began to feel like I belonged -- and that was only after a few funerals, ice fishing, coffee at the Co-op, and hunting.

When in Hazelton, do as the Hazeltoners do.

The village don't adust to the newcomers. The newcomer must adjust to the village in order to survive it.

There is one exception to this rule. Perhaps, a vibrant small town-rural church could help with this transition -- creating the open and welcoming space for newcomers, and helping them to adapt to the new culture.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Lord, help us remember when we first met and the strong Love that grew between us.To work that Love into practical things so nothing can divide us.We ask for words both kind and loving, and for hearts always ready to ask for forgiveness as well as to forgive.

Dear Lord, we put our marriage into your hands.We pray this Marriage Prayer in the name of Jesus Christ,- AMEN(Prayer for Marriage)

Recently, in church, I’ve been preaching on the Great Commandment, which is love in two parts:1. “Love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.”2. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

It’s interesting that this is called the Great Commandment, because by its very nature, love cannot be commanded. How can force another person to love? The threat of force normally accompanies a command:

“Stop, in the name of the Law!”“Quit whining or I’ll give you something to whine about!”“If you don’t come to work on time tomorrow, you’re fired!”

Commanding and loving just don’t fit together at all. If someone declares, “You HAVE to love me or else!” or “I DEMAND that you love me!”, it pushes the other person the opposite direction. Authentic love is never commanded or demanded.

In light of this, there is only one way “The Great Commandment” makes sense. It happens through divine personal demonstration.

The only way love can be commanded is through the example of overwhelming love. We love God because he FIRST loved us!

We are called to love our Creator with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, because, because He loved us that way first.

God invented the whole thing by loving you first, with all His heart – the greatest and deepest love that a human can imagine.

He loves you with all His soul – at the very essence of His being, pure unbounded love!

He loves you with all His mind – the Creative Mind which created all other minds – the source of ALL wisdom, knowledge and understanding!

God loves you with all His strength, a magnificent, limitless power beyond all comprehension!

Since God loves us like that, we can’t help but loving Him back! His overwhelming love for us commands our wholehearted love in response.

And then, we are called to love our neighbor like that too!

Who is your neighbor? Any fellow human being qualifies as a neighbor. Anybody in need is a neighbor. Any person you come across is your neighbor. A neighbor can live across the street, around the world, or even in your own home.

Maybe you should start with the neighbor who is closest to you – your companion. This is the person you are “at home” with; the one who watches television with you, laughs together with you, or shares your bed. This neighbor is the one with whom you are most likely to share your meals and your heartaches and your frustrations. This person knows your faults, flaws and fears.

What does it mean for you to love this person with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? Here are some questions for you to ponder as you consider how to deeply love your nearest neighbor – the person who is closest in your life:1) Heart: Am I tuned in to how my companion is doing emotionally? What can I do to help bring joy, peace and pleasure into his/her life? Does my partner need attention? Space? Support?

2) Soul: Am I deeply tuned in? Am I available to listen and understand my companion? Am I safe enough for him/her to share at the deepest level? Do I know my partner’s deepest longing? Greatest hope? Biggest fear?

3) Mind: How can I deepen and enliven our conversations? Do I know what makes my companion tick? When is the last time we’ve really laughed together? Have we explored the riches of each others’ thoughts, ideas and opinions without argument?

4) Strength: How have I served my companion lately? Is there something I could do, physically, which would show my love and commitment to him/her? When is the last time I have gone out of the way, and put my own desires aside to serve my companion? What have we done lately just for fun? Are there unfinished tasks that should be completed as a demonstration of love? How does my schedule reflect my commitment?

1. My good friend, Father Bill Green, was first stationed at Hurley. Then he was sent to Hayward. . . He retired a couple of years ago. . . and told me he's making his way to Heaven.

2. Another good friend, Andi Wittwer, pastors a church in the woods a little over an hour west of Hayward on Hwy. 77. She suggests that we shoot down the same road an hour east and start a baby church in Hurley. Wouldn't that be something??

"Christianity is rarely found pure . . . The truth is so vast and mighty that no one is capable of taking it all in. . . It requires the whole company of ransomed souls properly to reflect the whole body of revealed truth." -- A.W. Tozer

Shucks -- and just when we Wesleyans thought we had the corner on the market!

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

A few years ago, our family visited the birthplaces of two famous Americans on the same day - inventor, Thomas Edison and former president, Warren G. Harding.

When we arrived in Milan, Ohio, we immediately noticed that they were proud of their native son, Thomas Edison. A big sign on the edge of the small village proclaimed this was his birthplace. A statue of Edison graced the public square in the center of town. His family home had been restored, with a museum dedicated to his honor. Even the street lights were erected in Edison's memory, as was the Edison Family Restaurant, and the Edison Memorial Methodist Church.

Leaving Milan, I remarked that those folks sure were proud of Thomas Edison - especially considering the fact that he moved away in early childhood.

A couple of hours later, we arrived in Blooming Grove, Ohio, where Warren G. Harding was born.

We were amazed to discover the only thing to denote Harding's birth was a small, faded historical marker in the front yard of a farmhouse.

"How does this figure?" I wondered. "Why does an inventor get a whole town to memorialize him, while a president only gets a dinky little sign?"

It wasn't about power. Harding certainly had much more clout than Edison. It wasn't about fame. Harding was recognized throughout the entire world.

My theory - I think it was about character.

Edison is known today for his persistence, creativity, and determination. He invented the light bulb after over a thousand failures. He's the one who said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

Harding, on the other hand, is known today for the scandals of his administration, his dishonesty, his immorality, and his willingness to "bend the rules" to fit his agenda.

Edison had character - and the town of his birth still celebrates. Harding was a character - and he gets a sign by the chicken coop.

The moral - the greatness of a person is measured by integrity and truth.

Monday, February 08, 2010

When Joshua the shepherd observes a man mercilessly beating his son, he is deeply troubled that the laws of their land permit such inhumanity.

Later than night, Joshua prayed to God. "Why didn't you send help for that child?" God replied, "I did send help. I sent you."

In this profound and heartwarming parable, we follow Joshua as he embarks on the quest for "the better way."

Accompanied by his newfound friends, Elizabeth (a former slave) and David (the castaway child), Joshua searches for an ancient text that has been hidden in a distant cave near the Great Inland Sea

Along their journey to uncover long buried secrets, they meet an unusual assortment of characters -- The Storyteller, The Apothecary, The Bind Man, and the Stranger, who teach them valuable lessons to aid them in the pilgrimage.

This little book, written by JoAnn Davis, is like a simplified blend of Pilgrim's Progress, Aesop's Fables, The Shack, and The Hobbit (Children's Illustrated Classics versions.)

It's packed with pithy, thought-provoking statements. Here are a couple of my favorites:

"Speak the truth in love and love the truth in each, saying strong things gently and gentle things strongly."

"Each morning, when you awaken, promise the dawn that you'll keep your heart as light as a feather."

Jonathan Edwards stands among the greatest Americans who have ever lived. He is noted for his significant role in the Great Awakening and was appointed as the third president of Princeton University.

His prolific writings still influence countless thousands today.

If we could boil Edwards' life down to one word, it would be "character." The commitment to integrity marked everything he did.

Even as a young man, he understood the importance of being true and standing strong. In 1722, at age 19, he penned the following commitments in his journal:

RESOLVED:

Resolved, to live with all my might while I do live.Resolved, never to lose one moment of time, to improve it in the most profitable way I can.Resolved, never to do anything which I should despise or think meanly in another.Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.Resolved, never do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that in Proverb 20:6, "A faithful man who can find?" may not be partly fulfilled in me."

Nearly 300 years after Edward's death, he stands as a model of integrity for the rest of us.

Billy Graham, another man of character observed, "When wealth is lost -- nothing is lost. When health is lost -- nothing is lost. When integrity is lost -- all is lost."

When our family lived in California, we would occasionally build sandcastles on the beach. It would take a while for my kids to pry me out of the lounge chair -- but once they got me started on the project, I dove in all the way! "If we're going to make a sandcastle," I declared, "we need to do it right!" Our massive building project ended up including towers, moats, ramps -- all the important castle stuff.

Then, the tide came in and ruined everything! Instead of splendid architecture, our castle looked more like the ruins of Pompey.

Unfortunately, many people are building interior "sandcastles". The desire to look good becomes more important than being good. Truth is tweaked for personal advantage. The sandcastle motto: "Morality doesn't matter. It's o.k. if I can get away with it."

The problem with building a "sandcastle character" is that sooner or later, the tide will come in and crumble the foundations.

Perhaps the old philosopher was right when he advised writing our grievances in sand and our convictions in concrete.

Concrete convictions stand firm in the face of cultural tides.

The old English preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, noted that you can have no lasting influence, "except by being firm in your principles and decided in what you do. If you yield an inch, you are beaten."

Honest Abe Lincoln said the same thing in a different way, "Be sure you put your feet in the right place -- then stand firm!"

Saturday, February 06, 2010

People are just begging to be told what to do. There are a lot of reasons for this, but I think the biggest one is: "If you tell me what to do, the responsibility for the outcome is yours, not mine. I'm safe."

Wisconsin Wilderness Campus is a one year college program located on Lake Owen in Cable, and is an extension of Philadelphia Biblical University.

Limited to an enrollment of 35 students, this unique school in the northwoods offers students a dynamic one-year accredited university experience that builds a foundation for further academic study, character development and spiritual growth.

Several of the students, faculty and staff attend Hayward Wesleyan Church, where I serve as Senior Pastor.

Each year, the WWC students ski 40K (25 miles) on the American Birkebeiner Trail for physical education. On February 16 this year they are skiing for a cause. They are skiing to raise money for Transitions Global which works to help women and children escape the snare of human trafficking in the United States and around the world (particularly, Cambodia and Viet Nam.)

Seth Fisher, the event organizer explains:

Keep in mind that most of them have never worn a pair of cross-country skis prior to coming to WWC. Each student learns how to ski, and trains for this long distance test in a five week period. Not only is the training regiment rigorous, but the actual ski event is held on a world class ski trail in our backyard called the American Birkebeiner Trail.

For most of our students their day on the trail is unforgettable. After finishing, some vow they will never put on a pair of ski’s again, while others look for new ways to participate in the sport. But for all of them the memory stays with them long after they leave northern Wisconsin. The race really isn’t just about skiing, it’s an opportunity to overcome what was at one time unthinkable. Students don’t just traverse hills, they traverse personal thresholds, whether they be physical, mental, or emotional. I think our students would admit that they draw confidence from this experience when faced with other seemingly insurmountable obstacles later on in life.

This year the Student Birkie will be different. The tangible aspects of the experience will be the same- 40K on the American Birkebeiner Trail. And, we always hope and pray that the intangible outcomes spoken of above will result as well. But the question has surfaced, can we ski with a purpose? Several ideas have collided and what is emerging is a race with a cause.

The person responsible for this new dimension to our ski event is Katie Nolan who attended our program in 1998-1999. Katie passed away in a climbing accident while summiting Mt. Hood in December. Katie’s life was filled with many rich experiences on different continents across the world, including working with the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. The people she met changed her life and opened her eyes to places of injustice and great need. Her retelling of these experiences and her passion for the causes she discovered had a significant impact on members of our WWC family in which she corresponded.

Over the past year Katie was in conversation with Mark Jalovick, our director, about connecting our Student Birkie to a cause. It is common in the many of the ski races in our area to "ski for a cure" but Katie's suggestion was "what if we ski for freedom?" Katie had gotten involved with an organization called Transitions Global (http://transitionsglobal.org/history.php) that is working to provide services, support and rehabilitation to people caught in the world of human trafficking. Transitions Global began their work in Phnom Penh, Cambodia working with women between the ages of 8-18 involved in human sex trafficking. Transitions efforts have been very successful and they have become a model for many other organizations with similar missions in various parts of the world.

So this year we will be skiing for freedom. Our hope is to raise awareness of the oppression involved in human trafficking both here and abroad. We trust others will join with us as we ski with a cause.

Kudos to the WWC skiers for excellent way to raise awareness and support for a very important cause.

To bring ones team to the brink of victory through brilliant maneuver, but to lose by committing a colossal unforced blunder. Example: The Democrats favred their chances for health care reform when they lost the Massachusetts Senate seat.

(Thanks to my friend Joel Gerich for sharing this treasure with his dad, who shared it with me.)

Thursday, February 04, 2010

I've just finished reading his wonderful book, Live Sent: You Are a Letter, and found myself saying, "That's so true! Amen brother!" the whole way through.

Dukes, who describes himself as a follower and a leader, a learner and a teacher, a writer and a dreamer, a pastor and an entrepreneur and someone who tries to live sent daily, has captured the heartbeat of what the church ought to be.

Church is not a "what", Duke declares, It is a "WHO!"

Church is not a place and time on Sunday morning. Church is the people of God -- sent into the world as letters of grace.

Church health is not measured by how many people show up on Sunday morning -- but how the people show up to bring God's love everywhere they go.

Dukes advocates a decentralized approach to ministry -- encouraging people to LIVE the mission every day.

This does not mean trying to find time in your schedule to fulfill God's mission -- your WHOLE schedule IS God's mission!

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Hitchens, author of God is Not Great, holds perspectives and opinions that are quite contrary to those shared by Bible believing Christians.

However, in this interview, there was one little part where Mr. Hitchens was spot on!

Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.

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